Andis

Andis Company traces its roots back to when Matthew Andis was working at Mitchell Motor Car Company in Racine, Wisconsin, USA as a tool maker and he decided to leave and start his own business. John Oster and Henry Meltzer came to his home and asked to be partners in the new venture. As a result, Andis O M Manufacturing was born around 1920-21. Soon their tool and die company had been contracted to make tooling to produce clipper blades for a hand operated non-motorized hair clipper. This partnership only lasted about a year.

When the three split, each started his own company in Racine. Andis quickly developed the Andis electric clipper and began Andis Clipper Company, which evolved into the Andis Company of today. It was officially incorporated in the year 1922. Racine was a hot bed for electrical motors, specifically with the invention of the fractional HP motor. Local companies such as of Hamilton Beach, InSinkErator, Dremel and Andis, used this technology to make blenders, food waste disposers and rotary hand tools.

The advantage the Andis clipper had is that it was smaller, faster and delivered a higher performance than other clippers available at the time. This clipper was the first generation of today’s Master Clipper, which is still one of Andis’ most popular models. Production began in the basement of the Andis family home, and the entire family helped assemble the clippers. Matthew sold them door-to-door to the barbershops of Racine and the surrounding area.

American barbers quickly embraced the new Andis Clipper. Initially, Andis rented space in an industrial building to manufacture the electric clipper, but the company grew quickly, and was soon moving again, this time into a new factory building with 16,000 square feet. Today, Andis employs more than 400 people at its 160,000 square foot facility, located just down the street from Racine in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, where lean manufacturing principles have been implemented to ensure top quality products.